“I know. But it’s the truth and you deserve the truth.”
She was quiet for a moment, still sniffling on the other end.
“Look,” I said. “Call my mom. See if she wants to go with you.”
“Your mom can’t help me get around on this ankle Dex. Plus her and your aunts and uncle are already doing a walking tour today. I saw them leaving from my window this morning.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Aight. Let me call Kam. He owes me a favor. He’ll take you wherever you want to go today.”
A long pause. “Kam?”
The tone she said it in told me everything.
“What’s wrong with Kam?”
“Why can’t you just take me?”
“Because I already have plans.”
“With Nique.”
“Why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?”
She let out a long breath. “I hate you.”
“You might as well learn to like me,” I said. “We share a child. That’s not changing.” I stood up and grabbed my bag off the chair. “Get dressed. Kam will take you wherever you want to go today. I’ll call him right now.”
She didn’t say anything else. Just hung up.
I stared at the phone for a second then pulled up Kam’s number. He answered on the second ring already sounding like he was somewhere having too much fun for this hour of the morning.
“Aye I need a favor,” I said.
“Damn. Good morning to you too cuz.”
“Amina’s stuck in her room with that ankle. I need you to take her to Aroma and wherever else she wants to go today.”
Dead silence.
“Hello?” I said.
“I heard you,” Kam said. “I just needed a second to process why you think that’s something I want to do with my morning.”
“Kam.”
“Fine,” he muttered. “But you owe me for this one. Like significantly.”
“I’ll add it to the list,” I said and hung up before he could change his mind.
I checked the time, grabbed my bag, and headed out toward Nique’s villa. I knocked on her door right on time.
When it swung open I forgot what I was about to say.
She was standing there in a brown sheer dress, tropical florals and animal print running through the fabric. Underneath it I could see her bikini, the same warm brown tones, like she had planned every detail right down to the last inch. Her curls were loose around her shoulders. Gold hoops. A small tote on one arm and her sandals already on her feet.
She looked at me with that look she got when she knew exactly what she was doing to me. “You’re staring.”
“You did that on purpose,” I said.